Elevator for conveyer systems



July 28 1936.'

C. S. LARSON ET AL ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS is i! I. ll I FiledAug. 3, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

INVENTORS: C 1:15 5. Larson WaZterA/(uebler ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1936. c. s. LARSON ET AL ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS FiledAug. 3, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 a a Raw. Y OF. E T K N NL R E fl 0 s. n mmA m BY w zzazm July 28, 1936.

c. s. LAR SON ET AL ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 3, 1935 9SheetsSheet 3 C [as $.Larsorz Walter AKuebZer ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1936.

C. S. LARSON ET AL ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed5, 1955 July 28, 1936.

c. s. LARSON ET AL ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 5, 1935 9Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 7.

l-ll Jk g 1NvENToR5:

C [as 5. Larson Walter fIKueb/er ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1936. c. s. LARSON ET AL I ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS 9Sheets-Sheet '7 a n1 5 ob 9 Y. 4 7 W MM E T K N 9 4 9 5 BSA 0 WM 4 4 r W7 m ah A u a :5 r wag 3 0 W 4 n 4 7 one. 4 Z 4 m 4 5 W4 July 28, 1936.c. s. LARSON ET AL 2,048,938

ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 5, 1935 e Sheets-Sheet s FIGJZ.

I INVENORS. C101; .5. Larson WaZferAKuebler ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1936- c. s. LARSON ET AL 2,048,933

I ELEVATOR FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 3, 1935 v 9 Sheets-Sheet 9INVENTOR5. C105 5. Larson 1 Walter AKuebler ATTORNEY.

Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,048,938 ELEVATOR roa convrmmsrs'rnms Clas S.

waukee, Wis.,

Larson and Walter A. Kuebler, Milassiz ors to A. 0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a. corporation of New YorkApplication August 3, 1935, Serial No. 34,512 7 Claims. (Cl. 104-128)This invention relates to an elevator for conveyer systems. Thisapplication is related in general to the copending application of C. S.Larson and Walter A. Kuebler, Serial No. 34,513, for Apparatus forenameling articles, filed August 3, 1935, and the application of WalterA. Kuebler, Serial No. 34,511, for Elevator for conveyer trucks, filedAugust 3, 1935.

The object of the invention is to provide a more simple, eflicient andeconomic structure for transferring an article or conveyer truck fromone conveyer level to another.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the conveyer system showing theelevator in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of two elevators and the conveyer systemtaken at right angles to Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail side elevation the mechanism shown in thelower portion Fig. 2 with the elevators in different position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the mechanism shown inthe upper portion of Fig. 2, complementary to Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism shown in the lowerportion of Figure 1 with the quenching tank broken away and the elevatoron its way down;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism shown in the upperportion of Fig. 1 complementary to Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of Fig. 6 and Fig. '1 combined showing theelevator starting up empty;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8 showing the upper tripoperating mechanism in a different position;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line Ill-40 of Fig. 8 showing thelower trip operating mechanism corresponding to the position of Fig. 9;

top plan view of the elevators of of of Fig. 11 is a side elevation ofthe mechanism' shown in the lower portion of Fig. 8 taken at rightangles to Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a viewfsimilar to Fig. 8, but of the lifting elevator shownat the right hand side of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 is a detail View of the elevator carriage of Fig. 12 shown neafithe upper end of its movement;

Fig. 14 is a detail view showing the position of the elevator rails ofthe lowering elevator as that described in the it moves downwardly andreaches the bottom of its stroke loaded;

Fig. 15 is a similar view bottom of the elevator movement showing theremoval of the rail from engagement with the truck wheel;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Figs. 14 and 15 showing successivepos'tions of the elevator rail as the elevator starts upwardly empty;

Fig. 17 is a similar detail view showing the lifting elevator rails asthey approach the bottom end of the elevator movement empty;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 1'7 showing the operation of the tripmechanism in inserting the elevator rail beneath the truck wheels; and

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Figs. 1'7 and 18 showing the elevator railsstarting upwardly loaded.

to Fig. 13 taken at the The invention, as illustrated, has been ap- Iplied in a plant for the enameling of large sections of pipe I forunderground pipe lines. The pipe sections are of the order of 40 feet inlength and in some instances weigh as much as two tons apiece. In theenameling of the pipe, as

more specifically disclosed in the copending applications above referredto, the pipe I is loaded onto a conveyer truck 2 from which it isconveniently suspended. It then passes through a spray booth where it isuniformly coated with vitreous enameling material. From there it passesthrough a drying chamber and then is lowered into a furnace 3 where theenameling materialis fused at about 1700" F. The pipe is then loweredthrough the floor of the furnace 3 directly into a quenching bath 4maintained in a tank 5. The pipe is moved laterally a short distance inthe tank 5 and is then lifted outto another conveyer level.

The present invention relates to two of the elevators employed, namely,the elevator 6 for lowering the pipe section from the furnace into thequenching tank, and the elevator I for lifting the pipe out of thequenching tank.

Each elevator comprises two separate carriages 8 operating in channelguide members 9 which constitute part of the frame work for? the system.Each carriage 8 is supported on a/ jcrosshead In between two parallelendless chains'jl operating on upper sprockets I2. The path of thechains H has the same height as the movement of the elevator carriage 8,and the chains are driven by the same motor as drives the conveyersystem, this construction being in accordance with copending applicationSerial No. 34,513, referred to above.

The trucks 2 run on tracks l3 above the furnace, with the hangers I4passing through a slot in the roof of the furnace 3 and suspending thepipe sections I in the furnace. As the trucks come to elevator 6 theyare lowered through the opening IS in the roof of the furnace 3, throughthe furnace chamber and finally through the opening 16 in the floor ofthe furnace onto the tracks l1 disposed horizontally above the quenchingtank 5. The trucks then move horizontally on tracks l1 to elevator 1where they are picked up and raised to a level with the tracks l8. Thetrucks then move on ti'acks l8 to the unloading station, not shown, orto a third elevator which transfers them to a higher level where theypass to the unloading station. The operation of the trucks is continuousthroughout the system as described in detail in copending applicationSerial No. 34,513, above referred to, and in the part of the system hereillustrated, the truc-lm are always loaded, one pipe.section beingsuspended from each truck, and the trucks moving along the systemsuccessively and continuously.

The movement of the trucks 2 on tracks I3 is effected by means of anendless chain l9 running parallel to and below the tracks and havingmeans 20 thereon for engaging lugs 2| on the under surface of the truckbody. The trucks ,2 are moved from tracks l3 into elevator 6 by means ofan endless chain 22 running parallel to and above the tracks l3 andhaving means 23 thereon for engaging lugs 24 on the upper surface of thetruck body. The trucks 2 are transferred from elevator 6 to elevator 1on tracks l1 by means of an endless chain 25 running parallel to andbelow the tracks and having means 26 thereon for engaging the lugs 2|.The trucks 2 are transferred from elevator 1 onto tracks l8 by means ofthe endless chain 22 which extends parallel to and above the tracks 18and the means 23 thereon engaging the lugs 24. The trucks 2 are thenmoved along tracks I 8 by means of an endless chain 21 running parallelto and below the tracks and having means 29 thereon for engaging lugs2!. v

By driving the several chains i9, 22, 25, and 21, as well as theelevators 6 and 1 from the same motor, absolute synchronism in operationis obtained and there is no danger of dropping one of the heavy pipesections which might normally cause a great deal of damage. For thispurpose, the upper elevator sprockets 12 are driven by gears 29 on thesprocket shaft 30 through pinions 3|, horizontal shaft 32, bevel gears33, vertical shaft 34, bevel gears 35, and horizontal shaft 36 connectedto the motor, not shown. The several horizontal conveyer chains aresimilarly driven by gearing and shafts connecting their respectivesprockets with the drive motor.

In the elevator 6, hangers 31 are suspended from the carriages 8 bymeans of depending rods 38, the hangers 31 comprising in effect acrosshead sliding up and down between vertical channel sections 39. Thehangers 31 supportrail sections 40- on arms 4| pivoted to cam levers 42on the hangers and supported by projections 43 fixed to the lower end ofthe hangers. The rail sections 40 are locked in position during verticalmovement of the hangers 31 by means of the cam levers 42 riding in thechannels 39.

The hangers 31 are pivoted at 44 at the lower end of rods 38 and haverollers or shoes 45 riding in the channels 39. Each hanger 31 has anupper pair and a lower pair of rollers or shoes 45. The upper pair ofrollers or shoes 45 never 31 outwardly to alignment with the channels39.

back upon the support 43' Vided with short leave the channels 39, butthe lower pair of rollers or shoes 45, as they reach the lower end ofchannels 39, enter an auxilary channel member 46 which isv pivotallysuspended so as to permit it to swing laterally away from the elevatorand thereby swing the lower end of the hanger remove the rail 40 frombeneath the wheel of the truck 2. a

The movement of the member 46 is illustrated in Figs. 14 to 16. In Fig.14 the hanger 31 has reached the bottom of its movement and has placed atruck 2 upon the tracks l1. The member 46 is then pivoted laterally awayfrom the elevator to remove the rail 40 from beneath the wheel of thetruck as shown in Fig. 15. In this operation, the rail 40 engages theflange on the truck wheel and is pulled off from the support 43,permitting the rail to drop beneath the flange and continue its lateralmovement to the position shown in Fig. 16 where the hanger 31 is shownstarting upward. As the rail 40 clears the wheel'o'f truck 2, the lowerend of hanger 31 swings inwardly in line with channels 39 and the camlever 42 moves the rail 40 back onto the fixed support 43 where itremains until it again lowers to place a truck onto track [1.

The operation of member 46 is effected by a crank 41 and link 48. Thecrank 41 is turned by suitable bevel gearing from vertical shaft 49which in turn is rotated by means of cranks 50 and 5! through suitablegearing at the top of the shaft, see Figs. 8 to 10. Crank 50 ispositioned to be engaged by the cam block 52 on crosshead ID, as thesame moves away from the elevator shaft, to turn the shaft 49 and effectswinging of member 46 outwardly to-release the rail 46. Crank 5| isdisposed in the path of a cam block 53 fixed to the carriage 8 so thatas the latter moves upwardly, the shaft 49 is turned in the oppositedirection, effecting a swinging of member 46 back into alignment withthe channels 39.

The construction of elevator 1 is similar to that of elevator 6, exceptthat it is designed to carry its load during upward movement instead ofdownward movement. This means that the chains ll" operate in theopposite direction so that the crosshead l may be near to the elevatorshaft during carrying of the load. Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate thedifference in construction, and Figs. 1'7 to 19 illustrate the movementof member 46'.

As the elevator approaches the bottom, a pivoted cam block 53 engagescrank shaft 49' in a direction effecting swinging of member 46'outwardly to make the rail 40' clear the wheel of the truck 2 as shownin Fig. 17. As rail 40 passes the truck wheel, a cam 54 engages camlever 4| and forces the rail off from its support 43, thereby permittingthe rail to pass under the flange of the wheel. The cam block 52' oncrosshead I0 is then caused to engage crank 50' and effect rotation ofshaft 49' in the opposite direction, pivoting members 46 back into Theresult is and is forced and into engagement with the truck wheel asshown in Fig. 19. The elevator then starts upwardly with its load.

In order to prevent the off the short rail sections 40 or 40', thelatter are preferably provided with short depressions in their uppersurfaces for receiving the wheels of the trucks.

At the upper end the elevators 6 and 1 are prorail sections 55 and 55'.respecthat rail 40 engages the track I1 and rotates truck 2 from running4 tively. In the case of elevator 6, the rails 55 receive the truck fromtrack 13 and support the same until the rails 40 engage the truckwheels,

of the elevator and then pivot beneath the truck wheels to receive thesamefrom rails 40 and the truck is then run from rails 55' onto trackl8.

The operation of rail sections 55 is illustrated in Fig. '7 and that ofrail sections 55' is illustrated in Fig. 13. Referring to Fig. '7, therails 55 are shown mounted on pivoted lever arms 56 with a link 51joining the arms in a manner to effect simultaneous movement of therails either to spread them apart to clear a truck or to bring themtorther beneath a truck. The pivoting of the lever arms 56 is effectedby an arm 58 linked to a push rod 59 which is in turn linked to aneccentrictfl on a vertical shaft Bl. The vertical shaft 6| extends tothe upper end of the chain H where it is operated by the-lateralmovement of cam block 82 operated by the crosshead l0. Cam block 62operates a rack 63 which engages a pinion 64 connected by beveledgearing 65 to the shaft 6|.

The rails of elevator are operated by similar mechanism by the lateralmovement of the cam block 62' and crosshead Ill.

The present invention provides an apparatus which will transfer a truck2 through the furnace 3 with a minimum of working parts of the elevatorexposed to the direct heat of the furnace. The hangers 31 and rods 38are the only moving parts subjected to the direct heat of the furnace;and these may be made of special alloy to prevent their change indimension so as to efiect proper delivery of the trucks to the level oftrack I], or special mechanism may be employed to compensate for changesin dimension, such as that provided in copending application Serial No.623,178,

flied July 18, 1932, by Otto E. Uecker for Coml pensators for hoistingapparatus and assigned to a common assignee.

Theshafts 49 are disposed outside the furnace wall so as not to beaffected by the heat of the furnace.

We claim:

1. An elevator for conveyer systems, comprising a carriage disposed forvertical reciprocation, a hanger depending therefrom and carrying a railfor supporting a conveyer truck, a vertical guide member for saidhanger, and means to effect lateral movement of said hanger at the lowerend of the elevator to release said. rail from said truck.

2. An elevator for conveyer systems, comprising a carriage disposed forvertical reciprocation,

a hanger depending therefrom and carrying a rail for supporting aconveyer truck, avertical guide member for said hanger, and meansoperated by the movement of parts of said carriage to elfect lateralmovement of said hanger at the lower end of the elevator to release saidrail from said truck.

3. An elevator for conveyer systems, comprising an elevator shaft, aplurality of carriages disposed for simultaneous vertical reciprocationadjacent said shaft, a hanger depending from each carriage and carryingrails for supporting the ends of a conveyer truck, vertical guidemembers for said hangers, auxiliary guide members pivoted at the lowerends of said vertical guide members, and means to pivot said auxiliaryguide members at predetermined time cyclesrelative to the reciprocationofsaid carriages to efiect clearance of said truck by said rails.

4. In an elevator for conveyer systems, an elevator shaft, a pluralityof hangers disposed for vertical reciprocation adjacent said shaft,vertical guide members for said hangers, means carried by said hangersfor supporting a conveyer truck, and means operated in predeterminedtime cycle relative to the vertical reciprocation of said hangers formoving said hangers laterally to clear said supports from said truck.

5. In an elevator for conveyer systems, a hanger disposed for verticalreciprocation, a rail on said hanger for supporting the wheel of aconveyer truck, means for reciprocating said hanger laterally to'causesaid rail to clear said truck upon return stroke of the elevator, andmeans for lowering said rail as the same passes beneath the flange ofthe truck wheel during the lateral movement of the hanger.

6. In an elevator for conveyer systems, a hanger disposed for verticalreciprocation, a rail on said hanger for supporting the whel of aconveyer truck, means for reciprocating said hanger laterally to causesaid rail to clear said truck upon return stroke of the elevator, meansfor lowering said rail as the same passes beneath the flange of thetruck wheel during the lateral movement of the hanger, and means forlocking said rail relative to said hanger during vertical movement ofthe latter.

'7. In an elevator for conveyer systems, two parallel vertical channelguide members, a. hanger disposed for vertical reciprocation in thespace between said guide members and having rollers riding in thechannels thereof, means on said hanger for supporting the article beingconveyed, an auxiliary guide member at one end of

